Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B Active Recall Guide (1RB0)
Edexcel · GCSE
Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B Active Recall Guide
Every religion and section of specification 1RB0 written as exam-style questions with the answers printed after them. 5,266 questions across 56 topics and 448 subtopics, covering all seven religions so the guide fits whichever ones you study.
- Edexcel
- GCSE
- Specification 1RB0
- 5,266 questions
Guide overview All 56 topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
What the exam asks of you
Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B is sat as two of three areas of study, each a written paper of 1 hour 45 minutes and 102 marks, 50 per cent apiece. Area of Study 1 is Religion and Ethics, Area of Study 2 is Religion, Peace and Conflict, Area of Study 3 is Religion, Philosophy and Social Justice.
Each paper is answered entirely on the religion chosen for that area, in four questions of 3, 4, 5 and 12 marks. Schools may use one religion for both papers or two different ones, so all seven are here.
| Paper | Covers |
|---|---|
|
Paper 1 Area of Study 1: Religion and Ethics |
CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: CATHOLIC BELIEFS CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: LIVING THE CATHOLIC LIFE CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH CHRISTIANITY: CHRISTIAN BELIEFS CHRISTIANITY: LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE CHRISTIANITY: MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY CHRISTIANITY: MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH ISLAM: MUSLIM BELIEFS ISLAM: LIVING THE MUSLIM LIFE ISLAM: MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY ISLAM: MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH BUDDHISM: BUDDHIST BELIEFS BUDDHISM: LIVING THE BUDDHIST LIFE BUDDHISM: MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY BUDDHISM: MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH HINDUISM: HINDU BELIEFS HINDUISM: LIVING THE HINDU LIFE HINDUISM: MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY HINDUISM: MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH JUDAISM: JEWISH BELIEFS JUDAISM: LIVING THE JEWISH LIFE JUDAISM: MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY JUDAISM: MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH SIKHISM: SIKH BELIEFS SIKHISM: LIVING THE SIKH LIFE SIKHISM: MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY SIKHISM: MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH |
|
Paper 2 Area of Study 2: Religion, Peace and Conflict |
CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: CATHOLIC BELIEFS CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: LIVING THE CATHOLIC LIFE CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: PEACE AND CONFLICT CHRISTIANITY: CHRISTIAN BELIEFS CHRISTIANITY: LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE CHRISTIANITY: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT CHRISTIANITY: PEACE AND CONFLICT ISLAM: MUSLIM BELIEFS ISLAM: LIVING THE MUSLIM LIFE ISLAM: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT ISLAM: PEACE AND CONFLICT BUDDHISM: BUDDHIST BELIEFS BUDDHISM: LIVING THE BUDDHIST LIFE BUDDHISM: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT BUDDHISM: PEACE AND CONFLICT HINDUISM: HINDU BELIEFS HINDUISM: LIVING THE HINDU LIFE HINDUISM: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT HINDUISM: PEACE AND CONFLICT JUDAISM: JEWISH BELIEFS JUDAISM: LIVING THE JEWISH LIFE JUDAISM: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT JUDAISM: PEACE AND CONFLICT SIKHISM: SIKH BELIEFS SIKHISM: LIVING THE SIKH LIFE SIKHISM: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT SIKHISM: PEACE AND CONFLICT |
|
Paper 3 Area of Study 3: Religion, Philosophy and Social Justice |
CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: CATHOLIC BELIEFS CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: LIVING THE CATHOLIC LIFE CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY: EQUALITY CHRISTIANITY: CHRISTIAN BELIEFS CHRISTIANITY: LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE CHRISTIANITY: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION CHRISTIANITY: EQUALITY ISLAM: MUSLIM BELIEFS ISLAM: LIVING THE MUSLIM LIFE ISLAM: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION ISLAM: EQUALITY BUDDHISM: BUDDHIST BELIEFS BUDDHISM: LIVING THE BUDDHIST LIFE BUDDHISM: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION BUDDHISM: EQUALITY HINDUISM: HINDU BELIEFS HINDUISM: LIVING THE HINDU LIFE HINDUISM: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION HINDUISM: EQUALITY JUDAISM: JEWISH BELIEFS JUDAISM: LIVING THE JEWISH LIFE JUDAISM: RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE JUDAISM: EQUALITY SIKHISM: SIKH BELIEFS SIKHISM: LIVING THE SIKH LIFE SIKHISM: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION SIKHISM: EQUALITY |
What is in the guide
All 56 topics
Every topic has its own page with its subtopics, what it covers and sample questions.
Sample questions
Taken from the guide. Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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The Trinity in the Nicene Creed and Catholic worship
What does the Nicene Creed say the Holy Spirit has done?
Show the answer
The Creed says the Holy Spirit “has spoken through the prophets”. The Spirit is adored and glorified together with the Father and the Son. -
The seven sacraments and the sacramental nature of reality
What is the meaning and effect of Baptism?
Show the answer
Baptism washes away original sin and welcomes a person into the Church. The baptised person is born into new life as a child of God. -
The importance and purpose of marriage for Catholics
What is meant by the sanctity of marriage?
Show the answer
The sanctity of marriage is the belief that marriage is holy because God created it. A marriage should therefore be protected and never entered lightly. -
Catholic responses to the origins and value of the universe
Why did Lemaître not want the Big Bang used as proof of creation?
Show the answer
Lemaître believed science and faith answer different kinds of question. Lemaître was uneasy when Pope Pius XII linked the theory to creation in 1951. -
Catholic attitudes towards justice
What does Micah 3 warn will happen because of injustice?
Show the answer
Micah warns that Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins because of its leaders' corruption. God will not answer the prayers of those who do evil. -
Catholic attitudes towards peace and Jesus as the Prince of Peace
What does Gaudium et Spes teach about peace?
Show the answer
The Second Vatican Council taught that peace is “the work of justice”. Peace must be built constantly and is never achieved once and for all. -
Catholic understanding of Jesus as the culmination of revelation
What does Hebrews 1:1 say about how God spoke in the past?
Show the answer
Hebrews 1:1 says God spoke in many and various ways to the ancestors through the prophets. The messages of the prophets were partial and prepared for Christ. -
Catholic teaching on human rights
What did Pope John XXIII teach about human rights in Pacem in Terris?
Show the answer
Pacem in Terris (1963) lists rights including life, food, shelter, education, work and freedom of worship. Every right comes with a matching duty to respect the rights of others.
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Look inside
Questions for a subtopic print together and the answers for that section print after them.
- Catholic Christianity: Catholic Beliefs99
- Catholic Christianity: Living the Catholic Life105
- Catholic Christianity: Marriage and the Family99
- Catholic Christianity: Matters of Life and Death95
- Catholic Christianity: Crime and Punishment95
- Catholic Christianity: Peace and Conflict97
- Catholic Christianity: Philosophy of Religion99
- Catholic Christianity: Equality94
- Christianity: Christian Beliefs92
- Christianity: Living the Christian Life90
- Christianity: Marriage and the Family86
- Christianity: Matters of Life and Death85
- and 44 more
- What do Catholics mean by the sacramental nature of reality?
- What is a sacrament?
- What does the Catechism teach in paragraph 1210 about the seven sacraments?
- How does the Catechism (1211) group the seven sacraments?
- What is the meaning and effect of Baptism?
- What symbols are used in Catholic Baptism and what do they mean?
- What happens in the sacrament of Confirmation?
- What is the effect of receiving the Eucharist?
- What happens in the sacrament of Reconciliation?
- Catholics believe the whole of creation can reveal the presence of God. Ordinary things such as water, bread and oil can become signs of God's grace.
- A sacrament is an outward sign, instituted by Christ, that gives the grace it signifies. The Catechism calls the sacraments “efficacious signs of grace”.
- The Catechism says the seven sacraments touch all the stages and important moments of Christian life. The sacraments mirror the stages of natural life, from birth to healing and mission.
- The sacraments of initiation are Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. The sacraments of healing are Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick. The sacraments of service are Holy Orders and Matrimony.
- Baptism washes away original sin and welcomes a person into the Church. The baptised person is born into new life as a child of God.
- Water poured three times symbolises cleansing and new life. The white garment symbolises purity, and the lit candle symbolises the light of Christ.
- The bishop lays hands on the candidate and anoints the forehead with chrism. The bishop says, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit”. Confirmation strengthens the gifts of the Spirit received at Baptism.
- Catholics receive the Body and Blood of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine. The Eucharist unites them with Christ and with one another.
- A penitent confesses sins to a priest, expresses sorrow and is given a penance. The priest then gives absolution, forgiving the sins in God's name.
questions
Scroll sideways to turn through the pages.
Questions students ask first
Seven religions. Which do I study?
One per area of study, and you sit two of the three areas. Some schools use the same religion for both, some use two different ones.
All seven are in the guide, each named by religion, so you work the four sections you actually sit and skip everything else. That is roughly 400 questions rather than 5,266.
Which sections do I need?
Every paper opens on the chosen religion’s beliefs and its practices, then takes the two sections belonging to that area. Religion and Ethics takes marriage and the family and matters of life and death. Religion, Peace and Conflict takes crime and punishment and peace and conflict. Religion, Philosophy and Social Justice takes philosophy of religion and equality.
What do the twelve-mark questions want?
An argued response with more than one point of view, supported by sources of wisdom and authority. That is why the guide asks for the sources by name, with what each one says.
Is Judaism organised differently?
Slightly. In Area of Study 3, Judaism takes religious experience where the other religions take philosophy of religion. Both are in the guide under their own headings.
Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B Active Recall Guide
Every question paired with its answer, grouped by topic and subtopic, ready to work in three passes.